The court order on suspending collection of toll on NH-7 (Bengaluru-Bellary Road) near the trumpet interchange of the Bengaluru International Airport may have come as a relief for road users. But this may, in turn, slow down the upgradation of Bellary Road being undertaken to ease traffic flow on this stretch.
The Rs 680-crore upgradation involves a 22.12-km stretch of road beginning from Hebbal flyover up to Bachchalli railway gate, beyond the trumpet interchange leading to the airport which will make travel towards the airport much faster.Travellers to BIA and beyond were required to pay a toll fee at the toll plazas erected at Sadarhalli Gate even before the upgradation project has been completed.
A number of associations resisted this move of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), but the plaza became operational in February this year. However, on April 3, a lower court in Devanahalli has stayed the collection of toll fees on NH-7.
Sources in NHAI said that as much as Rs 25 lakh in revenue was collected as toll fees on a daily basis. Officials claim most of this amount was being used to speed up the work for convenience of road users.
NHAI chief general manager (technical) A.K. Mathur said: “This may impact the progress of work as the toll was a way of revenue generation which was being used for the project. The sudden suspension of toll collection will naturally hinder the developmental works being carried out on NH-7. We are yet to decide the legal course of action.”
The expressway planned on Bellary Road is proposed to be 65 meters wide with 18 lanes.